Bastard. The Legacy of Pinochet's Genocide
(Bastardo. La herencia de un genocida)
Pepe Rovano | Documentary
2023 | 83 minutes | Chile, Italy, Sweden
On discovering his father was the head of Chilean police intelligence guilty of human rights abuses, the director confronts him and looks for victims.
Synopsis
When Pepe returns to Chile after years in Italy, he uncovers a shocking truth: his father is Colonel Rodrigo Retamal, a former head of Chilean police intelligence, notorious for human rights abuses.
Pepe embarks on a quest to understand his father’s dark past. Along the way, he meets the children of his father’s victims, as well as others whose families were devastated by the regime’s brutality. Pepe grapples with his desire to repair the broken legacy he has inherited.
Despite his initial shock, Pepe decides to confront Retamal. Desperate for a connection, Pepe seeks signs of remorse in his father. However, their relationship disintegrates when Pepe reveals his homosexuality.
Amidst the backdrop of Chile’s 2019 social unrest and protests, Pepe becomes a key figure in the movement that ultimately leads to the drafting of a new constitution, marking a turning point in Chile’s struggle to end the long-standing impunity of its corrupt establishment.
Reviews
"'Bastard' is emblematic of the profound trauma that generations of Chileans continue to process" — Juan Marín, Culturizarte
Citation
Main credits
Rovano, Pepe (film director)
Rovano, Pepe (screenwriter)
Rovano, Pepe (on-screen participant)
Other credits
Cinematography, Pablo Valenzuela, Pepe Rovano; editing, Juan Eduardo Murillo; music, Alekos Vuskovic, Sebastián Abraham.
Citation
Cataloging
Pragda subjects
Biography
Criminal Justice
Family
Fascism + Repression
History
Human Rights
Latin American Studies
South America
Keywords
Clips
Festivals
FICViña Viña del Mar International Film Festival; La Habana New Latin American International Film Festival; Quilpé Chilean Film Festival; Millenium Documentary Film Festival; Trieste Ibero-American Film Festival; FIDBA Buenos Aires International Documentary Film Festival; SANFIC Santiago International Film Festival
DIRECTOR: Pepe Rovano
NATIONALITY: Chile, Italy, Sweden
YEAR: 2023
GENRE: Documentary
LANGUAGE: Spanish
COLOR / B&W: Color
GRADE LEVEL: High School, College, Adult
SUBTITLE/CC: AVAILABLE
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: NOT AVAILABLE
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